I’m One of Your People
The phone rang as it does many times throughout the day at the PeopleCare office, but when Bruce answered he was a little taken by the request from the man on the other end. “Hi PeopleCare…m Frank and I’m one of your people… need some help.”
“I’m happy you called, what can we do to help you”, asked Bruce?
“Do you have anyone who could teach my wife to talk again,” hesitating as he asked? “Maybe they could show her how to walk upstairs, too? She used to read to me, for God’s sake and now she doesn’t say anything,” he continued almost without taking a breath.
Obviously something serious was going on with his wife and after some reassurance, the man settled down so Bruce could ask about what had happened to her…had she had a stroke?” First Frank said no, but then added he didn’t know. “We were going to go to the doctor, but she didn’t want to go, so we didn’t,” he continued.
After more reassurance Bruce told Frank that even though PeopleCare didn’t have anyone who could help directly, we could get someone who could. He seemed less agitated and Bruce said he would call back after checking things out.
We immediately called SWSCoA and talked to an intake person. Frank and his wife were on their service list, but had had no recent contact. Bruce explained the situation and they agreed… didn’t sound good. They put an “emergency” on it! After calling and visiting the couple the following day they called us to report that the women not in good shape and “was a captive in her own body.” The social worker said they were going to follow-up with more comprehensive service immediately and thanked us for the call.
When we called Frank to see how things were going, son Bill answered and indicated that his mother was in the hospital for tests and evaluation, and would be back home in three to four days. At the same time, SW was working to find a nighttime caregiver for the couple. It seems the son can help during the day, but works nights and isn’t home to help..
During a follow-up call, Frank told us things were moving along and said “Thank you for what you did to help us. I don’t know what we have done.”
During the Holidays we called Frank to see how things were going and ask if he and his wife would like us to deliver a Holiday meal. He said he was so glad we had called so he could thank us again because “everything was better now and his wife could even yell at him again.”
